Compression-wrench.



W. H. LUTZ..

COMPRESSION WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24, 1913 Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

WITNESSES Q&JQ M

LUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 00., WASHIN UNITED STATES PATENT @FFMJE.

WILLIAM H. LUTZ, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'IO LU'IZ-WEBS'IER ENGINEERING CO. INC., 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Application filed January 24, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. LUTZ, a citizen of the United States, and residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Compression-Wrench, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wrenches and more particularly to the type known as a compression wrench, and has for an object to provide an improvement on the construction shown in my application, Serial No. 654,474, filed October 13th, 1911, whereby the number of parts are materially reduced, and a structure provided by which the gripping action of the jaw members is extremely sensitive to regulation, and the strain is so distributed, as to prevent crushing of the pipe or other article grasped by the wrench.

It has for a further object to provide a construction in which the fulcrum point of the wrench is located at a predetermined point, and in such relation to the point of attachment of the anchoring jaw member as to cause the applied force to act most effectively to produce the desired gripping action on the article.

It further consists of other novel features of construction, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment which is at present preferred by me, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a compression wrench, embodying my invention, certain of the parts being broken away for clearness of illustration, and a portion of the handle being omitted as an unnecessary showing. Fig. 2 represents a plan of the same. Fig. 3 represents a detail of the operating end of the wrench handle. Fig. 1 represents a section on line x00 Fig. 1, of the body member of the gripping jaws.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

COMPBESSION-WRENCI-I.

Patented Dec. 16,1913.

Serial No. 743,919.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the handle or operating lever of my novel wrench structure, which in the present instance terminates in a transversely disposed slot 2, of substantially the shape of a gear tooth, and serves the purpose of a seat for certain adjuncts of the gripping jaws which will later be described. It is preferable to form one portion of the lever 1 adjacent to the said slot, with a curved face 3, the arc of which has as a center the fulcrum point of the wrench, in order that the lever may have free movement without binding upon adjacent members. The lever 1 adjacent its ends, is also cut away, to form a yoke 4, the opening 5 of which is adapted to receive certain elements relating to the jaw structure, and it will further be noted that the yoke arms 4: extend approximately to the end of the lever 1, thereby forming guide walls on each side thereof to receive the body member 6 of the gripping devices. In connection with the yoke 5 there are a pair of journal lugs 7 one for each side of the yoke and separated by the space 8, and each lug is preferably provided with an upper face or bearing 9, formed on a suitable arc of convex form, and a lower concave curved face or recess 10, which forms a seat or bearing for the trunnions 11, of the member 6. This construction will be readily understood when it is stated that the body member 6 is substantially of T-shape, having the web 12 integral with the trunnions 11, so that in assembling the device the trunnion portion of the member 6 is placed in the space 5, and drawn back, so that the web 12, fits into the space 8, while the trunnions 11 are hooked under the lugs 7 and seat in the respective recesses 10.

13 designates a gripping surface, preferably curved, which is formed on the member 6, for the purpose of forming a point of contact with the article to be engaged by the wrench, and each of the other gripping members 14: and 15 are provided respectively with similar gripping surfaces 16 and 17. The several gripping members are suitably pinned together, as shown at 18 and 19, for proper pivotal action, so that the parts may be readily fitted about a pipe or other article to be held, and it will be noted that the member 14; is formed in a number of sections, all carried by the pin 18.

20 designates a tooth member adapted to seat in the groove 2, and preferably of substantially the same width as the length of the aforesaid groove 2, so that a proper and effective interlocking of the parts is insured to retain the gripping members about the article, it being noted that the tooth 20, is preferably formed as an integral part of the gripping section 15.

21 designates, a camlatch, pivotally mounted on the pin 22, between the yoke arms 4, and in position: to engage the body member 6 when the latter is in operative position, as shown in Fig.1, in order to form an efficient means for locking the parts. This latch is preferably provided with a roughened or knurled surface 23, so that it may be readily manipulated to release the part when desired, and there is further, in the present instance, a spring 24 interposed 3 between each yoke arm 4 and the said latch to prevent a too free swinging movement of the latter on its pivot.

In the operation of the device, the gripping members 6, 14 and 15, are positioned in encircling relation with a pipe or other part, and the tooth member 20 seated in the groove 2, which is provided for the purpose in the lever 1.- Movement of the handlein adirection to raise the grooved end, will, of course, cause the gripping members to firmly clamp upon the article and the greater the movement of the lever 1 the tighter will be such clamping action. In connection with this operation, it will be noted that the fulcrum of the applied force is substantially at the point of contact of the trunnions 11, with the lugs 7, and the position of this point with relation to the bearing groove 2, has been so calculated and designed as to cause the necessary clamping action of the gripping members under substantially all conditions of use, and it will therefore be seen, that it is practically impossible for any slipping action to take place between the wrench and the article held thereby. In other words, the fulcrum point is not only in close proximity to the working end of the lever, but is also on that side of the line of applied force, passing through the working point, to cause the necessary and effective clamping action,

It will furthermore be noted, that this type of wrench has a wide range of use, and may be applied to all kinds of pipes, to

shafting, to studs, to piston-rods or the like,

or may be used in connection with ratchet drills or reamers or in a modified form as a lathe dog for holding an article which is under machine work in a lathe.

The embodiment of providing a gripping device which can readily be detached from other, so that the wrench may be converted from one size to another, according as the diameter of" the different articles vary.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful construction of a compression wrench which embodies the features of advantages enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while I have, in the present instance, shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character stated, a

handle, a yoke formed on said handle having a transverse groove therein, lugs carried by said yoke, each lug having a recess therein, a gripping device comprising a body member adapted to interfit with said yoke, trunnions on said member for engagement with said lug recesses, a jaw member connected to said body member,a tooth on said jaw member adapted to seat in said groove, and means to retain said body member in normal position.

'2. In a device of the character stated, a handle, a'yoke formed on said handle having a transverse groove therein, lugs carried by said yoke, each lug having a recess therein, a gripping device comprising a body member adapted to inter-fit with said yoke, trunnions on said member for engagement with said lug recesses, a jaw member con nected to said body member, a tooth on said jaw member adapted to seat in said groove, a cam lock pivoted in said yoke for engagement with said body member to retain said parts in normal position.

3. In a device of the character stated, a handle, a yoke formed on said handle having a transverse groove formed in one end thereof, a lug on each side of said yoke having a recess therein, said lugs being suitably spaced apart, agripping device comprising a body member adapted to interfit with said yoke, a web formed on said member and normally positioned in the space between said lugs, trunnions formed on said body member for engagement with said lug recesses, a jaw member pivotally connected to said body member, a tooth on said jaw member adapted to seat in said groove, and means to retain said body member in nor mal position.

4. In a device of the character stated, a

handle, a yoke formed on said handle hav-- in, said lugs forming a fulcrum point in close proximity to said groove and at one side of the line of the applied force passing through said groove, a gripping device comprising a body member adapted to interfit with said yoke, trunnions carried by said body member for engagement with said lug recesses, a jaw member pivotally connected to said body member, means on said jaw member adapted to seat in said groove, and a locking device for retaining said body member in normal position.

5. In a device of the character stated, a handle, a yoke formed on said handle having a transverse groove therein, lugs carried by said yoke, each lug having a recess therein, a gripping device comprising a body member adapted to interfit with said yoke, trunnions on said member for engagement with said lug recesses, a jaw member pivotally connected to said body member, means on said jaw member adapted to seat in said groove to hold said gripping device about an article, a cam lock pivoted in said yoke for engagement with said body member to retain said member in normal position, and spring means between said lock and yoke to limit the movement of said lock.

6. In a device of the character stated, a handle, a yoke formed on said handle having a transverse groove therein, lugs carried by said yoke, each lug having a recess therein, a gripping device comprising a body member adapted to interfit with said yoke, trunnions on said member for engagement with said lug recesses, a jaw member connected to said body member, means on said jaw member for engagement with said groove to hold said gripping device about an article, and means to retain said body member in normal position.

7. In a device of the character stated, a handle, a yoke on said handle having a transverse groove therein, lugs carried by said yoke, a gripping device comprising a body member adapted to interfit with, said yoke, trunnions on said member for engagement with said lugs, a jaw member connected to said body member, a tooth on said jaw member adapted to seat in said groove, and means to retain said body member in assembled condition.

WILLIAM H. LUTZ.

Witnesses:

C. D. MGVAY, M. E. BYRNE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 

